Stoker



Dec. 29, 1925. 567,083'

F. P. ROESCH ET AL SOI'lETRl Filed May 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

FRANK P.- noEsCH, or CHICAGO,

ILLINOI S, AND ANDREW H. HUNT, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO STANDARDSTOKER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE.

Applicationiled Hay 19, 1924. Serial No. 714,338.

To all whom it may coiwern:

Be it known that we, FRANK P. Rossell vand ANDREW M. HUNT,'bot-h citizens of the United States, and, respectively, residents of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, and New York, county of New York, State of New York, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Stokers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locomotive or other stokers and its object is to provide a simple and effective means and methodfor I conveying the fuel .from the locomotive tender forward to the fire.

- In apparatus of this character it has heretofore been customary to provide conveying means for feeding the Ymaterial forward from the tender to the locomotive, then lifting the material to a level above the fire and distributing the fuel to the lire.

It is one of the objects of our invention to dispense with the necessity for special lifting apparatus to raise the fuel above the fire and at the same time to provide for Coni 'les tinuous and uninterrupted feeding and distribution of the fuel to the lire;

Itis a further object to provide apparatus of thisA character which will, if desired, permit the fuel to passbelow the mud ring of the boiler and avoid bending or otherwise interfering with the mud ring or other standard parts of the locomotive equipment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification Referring to the accompanying drawings: Stoker, partly in section, taken on t line 1-1 of Fig. 2; also showing fragments of lthe locomotive and tender. Our improved method may be practiced in this apparatus or in other apparatus. j v FFigZ is a plan' view of the devices of i i 1. f ig. 3 isadetail .of the driving gears at the rear of coaly bin of the ltender taken on the line"3j3 of V14`ig'.'2.. l

'f Fig. 4 is a section taken Von the line '-ofF1g.1`."" Y

-iijgj is @detail shqwiiig a modification. The numeral "1 indicates Athe rear water ofa'conventional locomotive boiler, provided .witlia'ffeeddoor opening 3 and a cab deckjistindicatedat ,5.1. ,f- 'g f Fig.v1'is a side view of our im roved- The coupling gear between the locomotive and tender is indicated at 7 and upon the ,frame 9` of the tender there is mounted a conveyor trough 10. the rear section 11 of a conveyor screw which is driven by gearing 13, best shown in Fig. 3. v The gearing .13 is driven by a shaft 14, provided with universal joints 15, 17 and 19, and a telescopic joint 20, from a small engine or other source of power 21 carried on lthe locomotive.

A conventional Crusher 23 may be provided at the forward end of the conveyor screw section 1l, and the conveyor screw is completed by two additional sections 25 and 27. Section 11 drives section 25 through a universal joint 12, 'and section 25 drives section 27 through a universal joint 28.' Section 25 is provided with a telescopic coupling 26. Sections 25 and 27 are contained in housings 29 and 31, respectively and these housings are provided with universal joints and a telescopic joint of conventional formas illustrated.

At the forward end of the housing 31 we provide an. elbow 33. The section 27 of the conveyor screw -terminates in the elbow 33 at a point therein, which-may be deined as that point which permits the conveyor screw to force the coal as far as possible to the left without causing the coal to pack beneath the screw 27 or to block the easy and smooth How of the Coal around the elbow 33.

The elbow 33 may extend beneath a conventional mud ring 34 of the boiler and be supported on a bracket 37, which ma be sultably mounted on the framework o the locomotive. Elbow 33 supports a core tube 39 which rises to the discharge mouth 40, which is surrounded .by the protective grate 43 and is provided with the steam jet distributor 41. The distributor comprises a distributor head 50 having substantially radial nozzles or openings 51 which are suplied from a series of pi es 52 as shown.

ach of. the justable valve 53 for controlling the supply of steam-through the pipe.

The d the level of may bein the case of' some standard types of locomotives two feet ,or

ischarge mouth 40, which islatabout` Trough 10 contains pipes is provlded with an ady ease the flow of the coal toward the mouth 40, which, however, is preferably kept small ,to facilitate the action of the distributor steam jetsand to economize space in the fire box.

Coal entering the trough l() is engaged by the screw section l1 and advanced to the.

breaker 23 from whence it is carried by screw sections 25 and 27' to the elbow 33. The'coal being advanced by the screw section 27 does not normally fill the conveyor tube but is advanced along its lower portion. In accordance with our improved method when the coal leaves the lfree-end of the screw section 27 it becomes consolidated into a symmetrical stream or core in the elbow and advances aro-und the easy upward. curve thereof and through the unobstructed core tube 39 to the mouth 4() for distribution thereat.

The free end of the section 27 of the conveyor screw may be provided with a loosening linger 45, as shown in Fig. 5, which finger consists of a piece of round steel inserted and pinned rigidly in the end of member 27.

j Finger45 extends into elbow 33 and is bent as indicated at the extended portion. Finger 45 is desirable for use with some classes of coal to revent a premature packing of the coal be ore tho coal assumes its straight upward travel in the core tube 39 toward the mouth 40; with other classesv of coal this iinger 4:5y is superfluous. Fig. 5 also shows the elbow/33 as formed with longitudinal stator vanes 35, on the lower half thereof to reduce the tendency for rotation of the coal caused by the rotation of section 27 of the conveyor screw in the elbow 33.

The easy curve of the elbow and the slight taper of both elbow and core tube facilitate .our thrusting the coal up to the discharge mouth. The coal in the elbow forms itself vinto a coherent mass which may be moved as a whole up to the mouth 40. While the coherence of the moving core of coal is dependent somewhat upon-the amount of moisture which the coal contains, we find that the kinds and grades of coal in use in locomotives containan amount of moisture that gives the coal a coherence suflicient to enable the same to be lifted through the elbow and core tube. The mass is suiciently consolidated to enable the coal to be fed forward with substantial uniformity throughout the section of the core and at the same time is suiliciently loose or fluent to prevent excessive friction and to permit the coal to follow the curve of the elbow without packing.

While wep'have disclosed our invention as applied to one form of locomotive Stokerv it will be understood that various modifica-tions may be made in the Stoker construction without departing from the spirit of our invention. Thus the rising portion ofthe stoker conduit may be located outside of the lire box and communicate with the fire box by a horizontal or inclined extension. Furtherf more our invention is not limited to stokers of the locomotive type as the same may be applied to stokers for use with marine or stationary boilers.

lVe claim:

1. The combination with a boiler of an unobstructed conduit without sharp bends curving from horizontal to vertical without sudden changes in its cross-sectional dimensions, said conduit being of substantially the same cross-sectional area throughout, the vertical end of said-conduit projecting above the level of the fire and the horizontal endbeing outside the fire box, a conveying apparatus for delivering coal to the horizontal portion of the conduit and forcing the coal forward through said conduit, and the forward endV of said conveying apparatus being spaced from the curved forward wall of said conduit a distance sufficient to prevent packing of the coal in' said conduit, and means for projecting the coal delivered through said conduit laterally and radially to the fire through aerial paths. f

2. The combination with a boiler, of an unobstructed conduit without sharp bends, curving from horizontal to vertical without sudden changes in its cross sectional dimen- 10" sions and said conduit being 'of substantially v the same cross-sectional area throughout, the vertical end of said conduit projecting above the level of thel fire, and the horizontal end being outside the tire box, a conveying ap- 1 paratus for delivering fuel to the horizontal portion of the conduit and forcing the fuel forward through said conduit, the forward end of said' conveying apparatus being spaced from the curved forward wall of said conduit a distance sutlicient to prevent the packing of the coal in said conduit, and distributing jets at the upper end of the vertical portion of the vconduit adapted to act on i5 thejfuel as it emerges from the conduit.

3. The combination with a boiler of an unobstructed conduit without sharp bends curvwhich delivers coal to the horizontal portion of the conduit and then forces the coal forward through said conduit as a fluent coherent mass, the forward end of saidconveying apparatus being spaced from the curved forward wall of said conduit a distance sutilsaid con A a saseid ifdezoea clent lto prevent-packing of the coal in said conduit, and means for projecting the coal asit is delivered upwardly from said conduit laterallylandradially to all parts of theiire 5 through aerial paths. A

4. The combination with a boiler of an unobstructed conduit without sharp bends curving from horizontal to vertical without sudden chan sin its cross-Sectional dimensions, dgueit being of substantially the same cross-sectional area throughout, the vertical end of said conduit projecting above the level of the re and the horizontal end being outside the fire box, conveying Japparatus which delivers coa-1v in loose condition throu l1 thehorizontal portion of the conduit, t en forms said loose coal into a iluent coherent mass in the curved portion of said conduit and forces the fuel while in such I condition through said conduit, said conveying apparatus terminating at a point short of that where it would itself be an obstruction to the movement ofthe coal as controlled" by the walls of the conduit, and Z5 means` for projecting the coal delivered through said conduit laterally and radially to all arts of the lire throughaerial paths. 5. 'l e combination with a fire box of an unobstructed curved'conduit without lshar bends ,extending into said box, said conduit havin substantially uniform cross-sectional 'area roughout, and progressive cross s'ections of said .conduit being of substantially the same form, and' said conduit terminating-in said lire. box above the tire level, means 'for delivering coal to and forcing the lsame through said conduit, said means ter'- linitiating at a'point short of that'where it would itself be an obstruction to the movement of the coal as controlled bythe walls of the'cond-uit, and means for projecting the coa-lf as itis delivered upwardly from said conduit to all parts of the Vfire through' aerial v 6.- '.lhe combination with a fire box,- a stoker comprising :an upwardly curved Aunobstructed conduit of substantially uniform -crossfsections 4oitvsaid conduit (being vof substantially 'the sameforimand said conduit I I. teriniu'iating.ina delivery mouthabove the j re-lwel-nieans for supplying coal tov said lfconduit' vand forcing the 'samejtherethroughy fmeaus'mterminatng;shortgfof said" "flvunobstructed conduit vand a;distribiiter,coni-v- `prising means 'ifor directing a pluraltyof' .substantially radiali fluid y)ets forv :forcing stanwiillythcfsamefform and said; conduit ning of said unobstructed -rlnng and relatively small cross section, successive v`@flowingstreamtot a. locomotive fire box to a point above the;V lcvelf'of-the re and distributing-the' same to` 125 he-,coal as itgis delivered upwardly from; l 'saidcolldnlld the iire.' l, ff l. lhejcoinbiiiationwith a box,v a l-stohei' comprising an 'upwardly rcurvedfun# terminating in a delivery mouth above the fire level, means terminating at the beginconduit vfor supcoal to said conduit and forcing the vsame therethrough and afdistributor comprising means for directing a plurality of substantially radial iluid jets forgforcing the coalA as it is delivered u wardly from said conduit to the fire and a justable means for selectively controllingsaid jets.

8. A locomotive boiler provided with aI conventional mud ring, a Stoker tube extending horizontally beneath the mud ring and thence turning upwardly to a distributor above the re level, said tube being un-'80 obstructed and having substantially the same cross sectional area andform throughout, a horizontal screw in the horizontal portion of the tube, terminating at a point where the upturned portion commences and stator 35 means at the end of the screw, whereby the coal in the horizontal portion is restrained from rotation by the screw.

9. ln alocomotive Stoker the combination oi ahorizontal conveyor tubeV provided with an elbow and anupwardly extending core tube, a screw in the conveyor tube, looseningv means mounted at the end `of the screw and projecting into the elbow and designed to prevent packing of the coal therein, said upwardly 'extending tube and elbow forming an unobstructed 'passage of substantially uniform cross-sectional area and dimensions 'through which the coal is forcedby said screw, and means for rejecting the coal as lo it is delivered upwardly from said conduit to all parts of the fire through aerial paths.

10. The combination with a fire box, a y stolier comprising an .upwardly curved unobstructed conduit of substantially uniform same cross section' as said first-named con- 1104 duit and adapted to deliver coal to said first .named conduit, vva conveyor screw in said second named conduit,the forward end of said A screw bein spaced from the forward curved wallet said irst'named cond-uit a distance 115 i suilicient to" prevent thepacking' o f c oalagainst said wall-,and means for pro]ect1ng the coal as it is 'de liirered'ui')fv7ardly from said iirst-nainedconduit to all parts of the lire through `aer'al -paths. 120

il. Theinetliodpof conveying coal in the f orm ofau'upwardly curved core-shaped from 'a point below the grate the fire, the coal being ofsuch a character thatiitwill jam ifsubjectcd to pressure ina direction lateral to the 4flow in excess of a. certain amount, which method consists in forming the coal into therupwardly curved 13,0

core ofsubstantially uniform cross sectional area and advancing the coal of said core to a point -above the level -of the re by substantially uniform pressure applied to the rear end of said core while subjecting said core to a lateralrestraintsuilcient to maintain said core intact but insulicient to cause jamming of the coal, and projecting said coal when it has reachedfsaxd point' above the level of the lire to all parts of the ire through aerial aths.

12 The com ination with a lire box, a fstoker comprising a substantially horizontal conduit located below the level of the re, conveying means within said conduit for conveying coal towards kthe lire box, an upwardly curving conduit of substantially uniformfcros's sectional area and free from sta- (tionary'and moving obstructions, in exten- Jsion of the horizontal conduit, the two forming a continuous conduit whose delivery mouth is so positioned that the coal delivered therefrom can be laterally and radially projected 4to all Aparts of the fire surface in 25 aerial paths, and means for so projecting it.

13. The combination with aj locomotive boiler of an unobstructed conduit withoutv sharp bends curving from horizontal to vertlcal, sald conduit being of substantiall the same cross-sectional dimensions throug out,

the vertical end of said conduit projecting -f above the level of the fire and the horizontal end being outside the lire box belowfthe level of the locomotive cab deck, conveying apparatus v,for delivering fuel to the horizontal portion of the conduit'and. forcing as to maintain the re away from said conduit and thereby prevent coking ofy the* fuel in said conduit, and a distributor comprising means for directing a plurality of substantially radial fluid jets for forcing the fuel as 1t is delivered upwardly from said conduit to the fire. i,

FRANK P. ROESCH.

"' ANDREW HUNT. 

